Centrifugal separator



Jan. 9, 1934. e. TER MEER 1,943,093

CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR Filed April 14, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORATTORNEYS Jan. 9, 1934. R MEER 1,943,098

CENTRIFUGAL S EPARATOR Filed April 14, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORaas'fav fer/Me er BY ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 9, 1934 UNITED STATES ATENTOFFICE CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATQR Application April 14, 1932, Serial No.605,152, and in Germany May 13, 1931 7 Claims.

The invention relates to a centrifugal machine in which the feeding ofmaterial to the machine is automatically controlled in accordance withpredetermined conditions associated with the operation of the machine.

It has been proposed to provide centrifugal machines, such asseparators, with shut-off devices or inlet valves which areautomatically controlled in accordance with the performance of certainfunctions in the operation of these separators. It has been proposed,for instance, to' open and close the inlet valve in accordance with thecondition and pressure of the material in the separator, and incorelation to the cross-section of the material and the definitesequence of the other operations. However, I have found that suchautomatic control is impractical due principally to the fluctuations inpressure of the material within the inlet pipe. The result is that theshut-01f device does not operate to secure uniform filling of the bowl.

It has been proposed to meet these imperfections by providing ameasuring container between the inlet valve and the centrifuging drum,the capacity of the container corresponding to that of the drum. Thishas the disadvantage that deposit will accumulate in the container whenthe feeding of the material is interrupted, as for instance whencentrifuging, scraping and other operations are taking place, therebyleading to the gradual clogging of the inlet valve.

One object of the present invention is to provide a new and improvidedmechanism whereby the automatic closing of the inlet valve to theseparator does not take place until a definite predetermined amount ofmaterial has been collected within said separator.

As an important feature of the present invention, there is provided afloat which operates in accordance with the amount of material in themachine, to control the operation of the inlet valve device.

As another important feature of the present invention, an electromagnetis provided for controlling the operation of the inlet valve, thismagnet being operated in accordance with certain predeterminedconditions in the operation of the separator, as for instance when adefinite amount of material has collected in the centrifugal drum, orwhen the scraper has terminated its function of removing the separatedmaterial from the interior of the separator.

In the accompanying drawings, there is shown for purposes ofillustration, one embodiment of the present invention. In these drawingsFig. 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, and partlydiagrammatically, of a portion of a centrifugal machine and. itsassociated control devices.

Figs. 2 is a perspective view showing a portion of the control deviceshown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing another portion of the controldevice shown in Fig. 1, and

Figs. 4 and 5 are different views of the counterweight lever and contactarm.

The present invention is illustrated in connection with a centrifugalseparator including a drum or bowl 10 rotated by any suitable powermeans and enclosed in a casing 11. The drum 10 may have the peripherythereof perforated'to permit the separated liquid to escape therethroughunder centrifugal action, or the liquid may be made to escape by anyother suitable means. The inflow of material into the separator iscontrolled by an inlet valve 12 which, in the specific form shown, hasan inlet port 13 and an outlet port 14, separated by a valve seat .15cooperating with a valve member 16. This valve member 16 is fluidactuated, and for that purpose is connected to a piston 17 adapted toreciprocate in a cylinder 20. This cylinder 20 communicates at the endsthereof with pipes 21 and 22. Fluid under pressure is delivered from asuitable source of fluid pressure through said pipes alternately tocontrol the movement of the piston 17, so as to correspondingly close oropen the valve.

The pipes 21 and 22 are controlled by an electromagnet 24 shown in theform of a solenoid, and having an armature plunger 25, the movement ofthis plunger controlling the operation of the valve 12. Means areprovided for operating this valve 12 in accordance with the movement ofthe plunger 25, said means, in the specific form shown, including acontrol valve 26 operable to control the passage of fluid under pressurefrom the source of fluid pressure to either of the pipes 21 and 22. Thecontrol valve 26 comprises a valve chamber 27 in which reciprocates avalve stem 28, one end of which has a pivotal connection with one end ofthe lever 29, the other end of which is pivotally connected to theplunger 25. This lever 29 is fulcrumed intermediate its ends to abracket 30 connected to the valve 26.

The pipes 21 and 22 lead into the valve chamber 27 adjacent to butspaced from opposite ends of the latter, the fluid under pressure beingadmitted either through the pipe. 21 or the pipe 22 in accordance withthe position of the valve stem 28. For that purpose, the valve 26isprovided with an inlet port 32 intermediate of the ends, and leadingfrom a suitable source of fluid pressure, for instance a pump, an outlet33 communicating with opposite ends of the chamber 27. Connected to thevalve stem 28 are a pair of plungers or slide valves and 36 so spacedand positioned that the lower valve 35 may move above the port of thepipe 21 to connect said pipe with the outlet 33, or may move below saidport to cut off communication between said port and the outlet andestablish communication between said port and the inlet 32. The uppervalve 36 likewise connects .the pipe 22 with either the inlet or outlet,and

the two valves operate substantially simultaneously to perform alternatefunctions.

In the position shown in Fig. 1, the electromagnet 24 is energized sothat the plunger 25 is in its uppermost position. The plungers 35 and 36are in the position with the valve stem 28 in its lower position so thatthe fluid under pressure enters the valve chamber 27 between theplungers 35 and 36 and passes through the pipe 21 into the cylinder 20to maintain the valve 12 in open position as shown. When theelectromagnet 24 is deenergized, the armature plunger 25 will fall intoits lowermost position, thereby causing the plungers 35 and 36 to moveinto the dotted position shown. In this position, the pipe 22 willreceive the fluid under pressure to move said piston upwardly and closethe valve 12. The fluid on the other side of the piston 1'7, under theseconditions, will be in communication with the low pressure side of thevalve 26 or outlet 33, and may escape through the pipe 21 and the port33 of the valve 26. Thus the electromagnet controls the supply ofmaterial to the bowl. It will be understood that the valve 12 isconnected to the interior of the bowl by a suitable pipe, not shown.

The electromagnet 24 is operated in accordance with predeterminedoperating conditions in the centrifugal drum 10. In the specific formshown, the electromagnet is operated when a predetermined amount ofmaterial is collected on the inner periphery of the drum 10, and is alsomade to operate following a'sequence of operation of a scrapermechanism. The operation of this electromagnet 24 is preferablycontrolled in accordance with the amount of material collected'on theperiphery of the centrifugal drum 10. For that purpose, the interior ofthe drum 10 is provided with a float 40 connected to the shaft 41 whichextends to the outside of the casing 11. Fixed to this shaft 41 on theoutside of the casing 11 is a counterweight 42. The float 40 issupported by the material being separated so that the angular positionof this float is determined in accordance with the amount of materialcollected on the internal surface of the centrifugal drum 10. Themovement of this float 40 is transmitted to a switch 43 which is in theelectric circuit of the electromagnet, and which is made to open orclose this circuit in accordance with the anular position of the float40. This switch 43 includes a contactor arm 44 loosely mounted on theshaft 41 and connected to a current line 45 leading to one terminal ofthe electromagnet 24, the other terminal being connected to one side ofthe source of current by a lead line 46. The contactor arm 44 is adaptedto engage a contact member 4'7 constituting the other pole of the switch43, and connected through the lead line 48 to the other side of thecurrent source.

To operate the switch 43 in accordance with -the position of the float40, the contactor arm 44 has lost motion connections with the shaft 41.As shown, it has a hub 49 presenting spaced shoulders 50 and 51. Meansare provided for moving the contactor arm 44 when the counter- Weight 42has reached its limiting positions. For that purpose, the hub of thecounterweight 42 has extending therefrom two pins 52 and 53 adapted toalternately contact with the shoulders 50 and 51 respectively. As thematerial collects on the inner periphery of the centrifugal drum 10, thefloat 40 will be moved in the clockwise direction shown in Fig. 1,thereby causing the corresponding clockwise movement of thecounterweight 42 until the catch pin 53 engages the shoulder 51 of thecontactor arm 44. After the counterweight has moved a certain distancepast its vertical position, it will move out of its position ofequilibrium in a clockwise direction, under the action of gravity, andmove the float 40 into an inoperative position. movement of thecounterweight 42 causes the corresponding clockwise movement of thecontactor arm 44, the outer end of said arm, under these conditions,being moved away from the contact member 4'7, thereby opening thecircuit of the electromagnet 24. This causes the plunger 25 to fall,thereby closing the valve 12, as already discussed, to shut off anyfurther feeding of the material to the centrifugal drum 10. i

The electromagnet 24 is automatically reenergized following a subsequentsequence of operation of the centrifugal machine. For instance, afterthe valve 12 has been shut, as already described, the material from theinside of the drum is scraped off and discharged. Thereafter the valve12 is automatically opened. The means for scraping the material from theinternal surface of the drum 10 forms nopart of the present invention,and in the form shown is operated by fluid pressure from a cylinder 55in which reciprocates a rod 56 mounted on the outside of the casing 11,and guided vertically by means of a crosshead 57 engaging a pair ofguide rods 58.

Connected to the crosshead 57 in the inside of the drum 10 is a scraperor peeling knife 59 mov.- able into and out of scraping relationshipwith the material to be scraped. The crosshead 57, as shown in Fig. 1,is in its inactive lowermost position with the knife 59 away from thematerial.

After 'the valve 12 has been shut by the operation of the float 40, thescraper may be operated to move the crosshead 57 so as to cause thecorresponding movement of the knife 59 into peeling or scrapingrelationship with the material. In order to automatically open the valve12 after the process of scraping the material has been finished, thereis mounted on the outside of the casing 11 a spindle 60 upon which isloosely mounted an arm 61 and a crank lever.62 comprising arms 63 and64. The arm 63 is disposed in the path of movement of a lug 65 connectedto the crosshead 5'7.

As the float 40 is moved upwardly and in a clockwise direction byaccumulating material, the counterweight 42 will come in contact withthe arm 61 and move it in a counterclockwise direction. However, thecounterclockwise movement of this arm 61 is limited by a pin 66connected to the casing 11.

During the operation of moving the crosshead 57 to effect the movementof the knives into scraping relationship with the material beingscraped, the lug 65 in its upward movement will engage the arm 63 andmove said arm in a coun- The clockwise terclockwise direction until itclears said arm. The arm 61 has a lug 66 extending therefrom, andadapted to engage a recess 67 in the arm 64. After the lug 65 on thecrosshead 5'7 has passed the arm 63 during its upward movement, the arm63 will fall back into substantially horizontal position, but will beprevented from moving downwardly any further bythe engagement of therecess 67 with the lug 66 on the arm 61, the arm 61 being held inposition by the engagement of the counterweight 42 therewith. After thetermination of the scraping operation, the crosshead 57, in its downwardmovement, will cause the lug 65 to engage the arm 63 and move the cranklever 62 in a clockwise direction. This movement of the crank lever istransmitted to the arm 61, which causes the counterweight 42 to move ina counterclockwise direction until it passes dead center, and the catchpin 52 engages the shoulder 50 and causes the contactor arm 44 to moveinto engagement with the contact member 47 to close the circuitcof theelectromagnet 24. This movement of the counterweight 42 is transmittedthrough the shaft 41 to the float 40 so that said float is restored intoposition to be effected by the level of the material collected in thedrum 10.

The energization of the electromagnet 24 causes the valve 12 to beopened so that the material is permitted to again be fed into thecentrifugal drum 10.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:- '2

1. A centrifugal machine having an inlet valve, an electromagnet forcontrolling the operation of said valve, a float pivotally mounted inthe interior of said machine, a counterweight movable with said floatand adapted to move said float away from the material being treated andinto inactive position when said float has reached a predeterminedposition, and a switch operated by said counterweight, and in theelectric circuit of said electromagnet.

2. A centrifugal machine having an inlet valve, a float in said machine,a counterweight movable with said float and adapted to move said floatinto inoperative position with respect to the material when said floathas been moved by said material to a predetermined position, means forclosing said valve when said float has been moved to inactive position,a scraper in said machine adapted to be moved into and out of scrapingre lationship with the material in said machine, and means forautomatically restoring said float to operative position when saidscraper has been moved into inoperative position.

3, A centrifugal machine having an inlet valve, a float in said machine,a counterweight movable with said float and adapted to move said floatinto inoperative position with respect to the material being centrifugedwhen said float has been moved by said material to a predeterminedposition,

means for closing said valve when said float has been moved intoinoperative position, a scraper in said machine movable into and out ofscraping relationship with the separated materialin said machine, andmeans for automatically restoring said float into operative position andfor automatically opening said inlet valve when said scraper has beenmoved out of scraping position.

4. In a centrifugal machine, the combination of an inlet valve, anelectromagnet for controlling the opening and closing of said valve,means for operating said electromagnet to close said valve when apredetermined amount of material has been collected in said machine, ascraper adapted to be moved into and out of position to remove theseparated material collected in said machine,

and means for operating said electromagnet when said scraper has beenmoved into inoperative position and to automatically open said inletvalve.

5. In a centrifugal machine, the combination of an inlet valve forcontrolling the inflow of material to be treated, an electromagnet forcontrolling the opening and closing of said valve, means for operatingsaid electromagnet to close said valve when a predetermined amount ofmaterial has been collected in said machine, and including a floatmovable in accordance with the level of material collected in saidmachine, and means for moving said float into inoperative position withrespect to the material, when said float has been moved by said materialto predetermined position, a scraper in said machine adapted to be movedinto position to remove the separated material collected in saidmachine, and means for automatically restoring said float to operativeposition and for automatically opening said inlet valve when saidscraper has been moved into inoperative position.

6. A centrifugal machine having a rotary separating chamber, an inletvalve, an electromagnet for controlling the operation of said valve, 9.member mounted within said chamber, a counterweight operativelyconnected to said member and adapted to move the member away from thematerial being treated and into inactive position when said memberreaches a predetermined position, and a switch controlled by saidcounterweight and in the electric circuit of said electromagnet.

7. A centrifugal machine having a rotary chamber adapted to receive thematerial to be treated,

sition, and means operated by said counterweight and adapted to controlsaid inlet valve.

GUSTAV TER MEER.

